Russian forces

Russia has begun rationing fuel following a massive Ukrainian drone strike that damaged key energy and refining infrastructure. Reports say Ukrainian long-range drone technology is outpacing Russian defences, hitting oil facilities deep inside Russian territory. The shortage is forcing regional authorities to limit petrol and diesel supplies, exposing vulnerabilities in Russia's fuel logistics and war economy as the conflict grinds on.

Russia says its forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian military targets, while Ukraine reports hitting a Russian drone launch site. The duelling claims come as the war of attrition continues, with both sides emphasising attacks on infrastructure used to sustain each other's operations. No independent confirmation of the scale of damage was available in the report.

Ukraine's Defense Forces say they struck a drone launch site and four Russian military warehouses in temporarily occupied territories. The reported targets include infrastructure used for launching drones and facilities for storing supplies. The announcement underscores Kyiv's continued campaign of deep strikes against Russian logistics as fighting grinds on, though Russia has not yet commented on the reported damage.

A widely followed Ukraine war update reports significant progress for Ukrainian forces, describing Phase 2 of the so-called Vivaldi Operation and claiming Russian troops are withdrawing in panic from the combat zone. The claims have drawn large attention as audiences track battlefield developments, though the specific operation details and casualty figures are not independently confirmed.

March data suggests Ukraine outshot Russia in the cross-border drone war for the first time, according to an ABC News report. The figures indicate Ukrainian forces launched more drones into Russian territory than Russia fired into Ukraine that month, a notable shift in a campaign that has seen escalating long-range drone strikes by both sides since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Robert Brovdi, the Ukrainian drone forces commander known as Madyar, said 95% of drones are used on the battlefield, while the remainder strike targets inside Russia. His remarks shed light on how Ukraine allocates its growing fleet of unmanned systems between frontline combat and long-range strikes deep into Russian territory.

Russian forces buried three tanks roughly 65 kilometres behind the front line, reportedly to hide them from Ukrainian reconnaissance. Ukrainian drone operators located and exposed the concealed vehicles anyway, highlighting the reach of Ukrainian surveillance far beyond the contact line. The episode underscores how drones are making even rear-area hiding spots increasingly unsafe for Russian armour.

A Kyiv Post analysis argues that Ukraine's drone offensive has given its forces a three-to-one advantage over Russia in unmanned aerial warfare. The piece highlights how Ukrainian drone production and battlefield deployment have outpaced Russian efforts, shaping the course of the war. It comes amid ongoing debate over whether drones, rather than traditional firepower, have become the decisive weapon in the conflict.

Ukraine's defence ministry says its forces struck six strategic Russian oil refineries over the past week, some up to 1,600 km behind the front line. It describes the facilities as key parts of Russia's defence industry supplying fuel to occupation forces, framing the campaign as retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29s struck a Russian command post in the northern sector of the front. According to the Ukrainian unit, Russian forces had been concentrating personnel in the building for some time and were also moving equipment and ammunition into the site, making it a significant target. The strike is being widely shared and discussed as a notable Ukrainian air operation against Russian command infrastructure.

Russian authorities are instructing businesses to protect their own facilities from Ukrainian drone attacks, as strikes increasingly disrupt operations across the country. The move signals that Moscow's air defenses are struggling to intercept the growing number of drones targeting infrastructure and industry. The report, published by The Wall Street Journal, highlights the mounting economic strain the drone campaign is placing on Russia's war effort.

Four tonnes of food were delivered by drones to residents of Oleshky, a Ukrainian city in Kherson region occupied by Russian forces. Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Russia has blocked roughly 2,000 people, including 50 children, in the city without electricity, food or water, and that Ukrainian forces have been supplying provisions since March.